Increases in the number of travelers using air and rail terminals coupled with a decline in the number and availability of service personnel to assist in transporting hand luggage at such terminals have contributed to a situation in which a traveler, sometime during a given trip, can reasonably expect to be called upon to move his luggage without assistance. In recognition of the reality of such a situation, travelers have begun to show increasing interest in luggage cases provided with casters.
Manufacturers of luggage cases responded initially to this market by producing cases with four casters attached to the bottom of a case and a towing strap attached to a side of the case adjacent the top allowing the user to pull the case easily as well as to control its direction of movement. Usually, two of the casters would be of the swivelling type and would be placed at the forward end of the case (i.e., the end closest to the strap connection) allowing the user to impart a turning movement to the case with a minimum of effort.
Also, it has been suggested to utilize a pair of rigid or non-swivelling casters located on a corner of the case on a side opposite to the side to which a handle or strap is attached. A luggage case so constructed, termed hereinafter a luggage case of the type described, can be upended by grasping and pulling the strap until the case is angularly balanced on the casters at an inclination dependent on the height of the user. It can be pulled easily by the user with little effort, directional control being effected by wrist movement of the user.
A typical luggage case of the type described is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,609, the casters disclosed therein having an added advantage of being detachable when not needed. Unfortunately, known detachable casters for luggage cases of the type described are cumbersome and complex with the result that, often, casters are left on a case when they should be removed to facilitate storage of the case, for example, and are not used when a traveler must be his own porter, it being less burdensome to carry the case than to attach the casters.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved attachable caster for a luggage case of the type described, wherein the attachable caster is simpler in construction and easier to use that attachable casters heretofore known in the art.